Why It's Totally Fine To Go Heavy On The Dressing For Your Kale Salad

Few things are more disappointing than a soggy salad. This can happen in many ways, from not drying the greens well enough after washing to letting the salad sit too long after dressing. One of the easiest mistakes to make is adding too much dressing to the salad, resulting in heavy, wilted leaves that lose their crunch. However, not all types of salads are as susceptible to wilting when too much liquid, oil, or cream is added.

Kale salads hold up particularly well to larger amounts of dressing because kale is tougher than other greens such as lettuce or spinach. In addition, dressing can be an asset to the texture of the salad, making the leaves softer and easier to chew. As a result, more dressing can make the kale taste good because it is more pleasant to eat. As such, there's less need to worry about kale salad wilting under the weight of too much dressing or about dressing it too long before serving.

Using a greater quantity of dressing makes kale salad more pleasant because it helps soften the kale. Many kale salad recipes recommend massaging the kale to break down the leaves and make them easier to eat. However, this can also be done using acidic dressing. This is because the acid helps break apart cellulose in the kale leaves. When acid is mixed into the kale and let sit, it results in more tender pieces that are easier to eat.

Not only can kale withstand a lot of dressing, but the acid reduces the need to massage it, saving time and energy. It can also eliminate the need for this step entirely if it is added in advance and left to soften. Therefore, there is no fear of dressing the kale too early. Instead, it makes for an easy salad to meal prep in advance because the dressing breaks down the kale to a better texture. You can use this handy kale salad trick to optimize efficiency by prepping your salad ahead of time.

There is a consideration when going heavy-handed on your salad dressing: the type of kale matters. The dressing tip primarily applies to curly kale and Russian kale, which are two of the toughest varieties. Lacinato kale, or Tuscan kale, is softer. While it can still withstand some dressing, it is not as hearty as the curly variety, so it should not be overdressed. Baby kale is much softer and should therefore be treated with more care so as not to dress it too much or too soon.

When working with the firmer varieties of kale, it's not bad to go heavy on the salad dressing. It can help make the kale softer and more pleasant to eat, eliminating the extra time and effort spent massaging. In addition, the kale stands up well to the dressing, meaning it can be dressed in advance for meal prep or easier serving. Next time you decide to make kale salad with one of the heartier types, go ahead and add lots of dressing without fear of a soggy meal.